Rarest & Most Valuable Architecture Books?

[Craig_Rokke]

My $9 bargain-bin purchase of C & W's "The Architects of Golf"
appears to have been a good investment. Aside from sparking
my interest in all of this, I now see that some used-book websites are asking $200 for a copy.

Similarly, George Thomas' and H.S. Colt's books command
high figures, sometimes into the thousands, for original editions.

Mark Fine mentioned a figure of something like $3500 for
certain old architecture books, so I'm guessing there are other
books in the field that are even rarer, and more highly sought after. What are some of these books, and what are the best ways to find them?

[Jeff Mingay]

I'm still searching for my very own copy of John Low's Concerning Golf. I haven't been able to find a copy for less than a few hundred dollars American.

That's steep  

[Tim_Weiman]

Craig,

If you are really interested in this market, I suggest you contact George Lewis at golfiana.com.  George has few peers anywhere in the world on this topic.  At a minimum, you should get on his mailing list.

[Dan King]

A quick perusal through McEwan, Grant and other catalogs:
http://www.rhodmcewan.com

http://www.grantbooks.co.uk/

and
http://www.bookfinder.com/

I found a few books and collectables over the $2K mark:

Golf Book of East Lothian by John Kerr, 1896: $6,750 (I have a beautiful reprint of this book that cost me around $150 from Archie Baird.)
Golfing Resorts on the Glasgow & South Western Railway by David Cooper 1907: £1900
Care of the Green by Peter Lees (who worked at Lido GC) 1918: £2500
Any of you still shoopping for my Christmas gift:
A Series of 16 Original Plans Drawn by C.H. Alison for Chevy Chase G.C. c1920’s nine actual sheets in toto, gridlines to one side and blank to verso
   * Contained in the original green wallet with Alison’s handwritten label to front ‘Chevy Chase Club/Report...16 plans relating to various holes’, five sheets have writing and plans to both sides, other four have writing and plans to one side, first sheet entitled General Notes, the next three entitled Various (with 16 plans), and the last five are detailed plans for 3rd, 6th, 7th, 17th and 18th holes respectively, original architectural plans from this period are scarce and these are a wonderful example of primary source material in the field by one of the pre-eminent architects of his day, and partner of Harry Colt £3500
George Lewis is a great guy and would never cheat you, but you are never going to find the unhidden sweet deal from him (I once bought Alister Mackenzie's Golf Course Architecture, original printing, from a newage book store in San Luis Obispo for $35.00.)  If looking at prices:
http://www.bookfinder.com

takes many merchants on the web for comparison pricing.

"I wanna shake off the dust of this one-horse town. I wanna explore the world. I wanna watch TV in a different time zone. I wanna visit strange, exotic malls. I'm sick of eating hoagies. I want a grinder, a sub, a foot-long hero. I want to live, Marge. Won't you let me live? Won't you, please?"
 --Homer Simpson

[Mark_Fine]

Craig,
I get many of my books from Rhod Mcewen in Scotland.  He has an excellent selection and can often find books you are looking for.  Some of the originals are very very expensive though.  I try to get reprints!
Mark

[Lou Duran]

Mark:

How does one contact Mr. Mcewen?

[John_D._Bernhardt]

Lou, Homer (DanKing) put the site above. If it fails I have the mailing address at home.

[Gene Greco]

You may contact Mr. McEwan directly at teeoff@rhodmcewan.com or tel. 44(0)13397 55995.

[Theresa Stotler]

There is a new listing of George Thomas' book on Ebay.
Bids starting @ $350.00.  Although there is not picture, this is a repectable seller.